There is a method of setting a reservation of video recording that has been widely and conventionally used and requires a numeral code, referred to as a G code, shown in a TV listing on a newspaper, a magazine, and the like, to be input. See User's Manual of Toshiba HDD&DVD video recorder “RD-X1”, Toshiba Corporation, 2001, pp. 70-72, “G code reservation”, for example.
Further, there is another method of setting a reservation of video recording including the steps of receiving and storing TV program information sent from a TV broadcast station, converting a program name input by the operator into information of a TV channel, broadcast start date and time, and broadcast end date and time in accordance with the TV program information, standing ready for a reservation of video recording, and performing video recording. See Japanese Patent Kokai (Laid-open) Publication No. 5-54465, pp. 1-3, FIG. 1, for example.
Furthermore, there is a proposal of a video recorder that includes a means for providing video information of a broadcast program and its reservation information of video recording in the form of a DVD medium, a means for allowing the video recorder to read information from the DVD medium, and a means for allowing a reservation of video recording to be set by a remote controller while reproducing a video. See Japanese Patent Kokai (Laid-open) Publication No. 10-069756, pp. 1-6, FIGS. 1-5, for example.
The above-mentioned method for setting a reservation of video recording using a G code eliminates the need for manual input of program attribute information necessary for a reservation of video recording, such as a reservation date, channel, program start time, and program end time, but the input of a G code shown in a TV listing on a newspaper, a magazine, and the like is required. Therefore, mistakes are unavoidable in the troublesome input step. Since operating methods vary among models, it has been hard to operate a model which is not familiar.
In the video recording reservation setting method that receives and stores TV program information sent from TV broadcast stations and converts a program name input by the operator into program attribute information in accordance with the TV program information, the operator must still take the time and trouble to input a correct program name appearing in a newspaper, a magazine, or the like. If the program name is long, the operator would not be able to memorize the name at one time and would have to check the input information against the information on a newspaper, a magazine, or the like.
These two methods impose such a great inconvenience that the operator cannot set any reservation of video recording without having a newspaper, a magazine, or the like at hand. Since the operator is forced to select a program, relying upon just the character information obtained from a newspaper, a magazine, or the like at hand, the operator may not be able to reserve a program on the basis of the sufficient information of the program.
In the video recording reservation setting method that uses video information of a broadcast program and its reservation information of video recording provided in the form of a DVD, the operator can set the reservation of video recording just by determining a selection on a remote controller while watching a broadcast program. However, there is some question as to when the viewer should set the reservation of video recording, and the reliability of the setting of the reservation of video recording would be inferior sometimes. In addition, the information is recorded in a unique format, and a DVD of a new format has to be developed.